A New 1st Precinct
Funding for a new 1st Police Precinct in Baldwin is under way, following the announcement of a multimillion-dollar capital improvement plan by the Nassau County Legislature, which includes money for the design of a new precinct that could be completed in roughly two years, county officials said.
Lawmakers approved nearly $155 million in spending for a number of projects in late April, and some of the funds will be allocated to the planning and design of a modern 1st Precinct, which officials said will serve as a model for future precincts in Nassau County.
The Legislature recently approved $750,000 for the design of the new precinct in its capital improvement plan, and is expected to allocate $4 million in next year's plan for the actual construction.
The precinct - which is 75 years old - is considered by many to be inadequate for the needs of a modern police department, and police officials have praised the initiative. "We look forward to providing a new, modern facility for both our police officers and the community," said George Gudmundsen, deputy chief of support for the Nassau County Police Department, adding that this is one of the department's top priorities. "Commissioner [James] Lawrence has directed me to do everything I can to make sure the 1st Precinct is done as soon as possible."
The funding comes after years of failed efforts to relocate and build a new 1st Precinct, as well as talk of moving it out of Baldwin, which prompted a fierce response from residents and local officials.
Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin) said that the precinct would remain in Baldwin, and he is hoping that it can be relocated from its current location at 900 Merrick Road to a nearby property. He added that the county is eyeing two potential sites on Merrick Road: the adjacent Huntington Learning Center and an antiques store on the corner of Harrison Avenue.
Scannell said that the county could acquire the property through a sale or condemnation, which the county has the right to do if the project is earmarked for government purposes.
"There is a real need, because there are major structural problems that exist now at the 1st Precinct," said Scannell. "It was a farmhouse at one time. It's just reached the end of its useful life. Hopefully [a new precinct] will be completed in two years."
Scannell also said the brand new facility is expected to measure about 18,000 square feet, and that it would serve as a model for other precinct projects in the future. For example, instead of spending county money for each new precinct design, all new police buildings would be based on the 1st Precinct model and would be nearly uniform in their design.
"The design will take a year, which is a little longer than most because it will be a model precinct design," said Scannell. "To save taxpayer money, this will be used as the model precinct throughout Nassau County."
Gudmundsen explained that there are other precincts showing signs of age as well, such as the 5th in Elmont and the 8th in Levittown, which may also receive needed new infrastructure in the future, for which the design of the new 1st Precinct would be applied. "And that design will be customized for each future site, taking into account the needs of the community and police operations," said Gudmundsen. "There are different communities that have different issues, and the design will be adjusted accordingly."
A new precinct long overdue
Gudmundsen, who worked at the 1st Precinct from 1975 to 1984, said that even then, the building was showing signs of age and the need for a new structure was noted. "The current building was not designed to be used as a police precinct, and police operations have changed over the years," he said.
The state of the precinct has been addressed in the past, however, and plans to relocate it to Grand Avenue were in limbo for years because the county's finances were in shambles. That project was ultimately scrapped in 2003.
"It's long overdue and about time that [Nassau County] did something about it," said DelaRaba. "[County police officials] have been ignoring it and have been doing whatever Tom Suozzi tells them to do with the department."
The following year, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi sparked outrage when he floated the idea of moving the precinct out of Baldwin, though he seems to have reversed course following numerous protests by residents and local officials. "The county executive has committed to keeping the police precinct in Baldwin," said Peter Gerbasi, deputy county executive for parks and public works. "Scannell has been working with the county executive, and they both agree that the 1st Precinct in Baldwin is obsolete and needs to be brought into the 21st century. No one disputes that."
Those who have lobbied to keep the 1st in Baldwin, including Town Councilman Anthony Santino, said that a new building is long overdue. "Obviously, the precinct has been in need of repair for a long time," Santino said. "The building has deteriorated to the point where it's almost unusable."
Santino and Scannell said it was vital to keep the precinct in Baldwin, and that a new facility would be a boon to the community. "Certainly, having the police and 1st Precinct right there in Baldwin - in the most modern facility possible - benefits the entire community," Santino said. "This would also ensure that the precinct will be in Baldwin for many years to come."
An unsafe working environment?
Last year, some asbestos was found in the 1st Precinct during the construction of a new kitchen, an issue that provoked an outcry from Nassau Police Benevolent Association President Gary DelaRaba, who called for the closing of the building because he said it posed an unsafe working environment. "The precinct was condemned years ago by the county," DelaRaba claimed.
DelaRaba did not sugar-coat the current state of the 1st, saying that aside from major structural issues, the building is teeming with roaches and other vermin. He criticized county officials, and especially Suozzi, saying that he has been slow to address the needs of police officers in the 1st.
"It's long overdue and about time that [Nassau County] did something about it," said DelaRaba. "[County police officials] have been ignoring it and have been doing whatever Tom Suozzi tells them to do with the department."
Delaraba said he has been pressing for a new 1st Precinct for years, and said the response from Suozzi was "negative." "You don't get a response from Tom Suozzi unless you're a contributor to his campaign," Delaraba said.
But county officials refuted those claims, saying that a new 1st Precinct is one of Suozzi's main goals and is part of the capital plan he recently submitted to the county Legislature. "The building is 75 years old, and the county executive came into office at a time when the county was bankrupt," said Gerbasi. "DelaRaba can blame anyone he wants, but if the money was unlimited, we would have done these things faster. To blame the county executive is outrageous. Why isn't he blaming the previous county executive?"
Gerbasi said that asbestos abatement was done last year, and that its presence was minimal and did not pose a serious risk to officers. "There were tiles in the building that were damaged," he said. "Just because asbestos is there doesn't mean it's a problem. As soon as people were notified, it was addressed. While we take it seriously, it wasn't a serious health risk."But DelaRaba disagreed. "You need a new building - the building is sick," he said.
A new look
Issues such as asbestos have intensified calls for a new precinct. Although it is too early to determine exactly what the final design will look like, Scannell said that the new headquarters would be a modern precinct, with more space for detectives, officers and administrative staff.
The county is in the process of choosing a design firm for the project, and is looking to attract firms that are experts in building police precincts. "You want to have people who have the specific expertise for a project like this," said Gerbasi.
Gudmundsen said that the new facility would be brighter, more spacious and, most important, more secure. He emphasized, however, that the current precinct remains functional and that residents should not be alarmed.
He acknowledged that the age of the building can cause disruptions at times, but overall it has not hampered police work and patrols. "Let's face it," Gudmundsen said, "it's an old building, and old things break. When those systems malfunction, they require maintenance, which are distractions to police officers and citizens using the facility."
He and others are hoping the new building will include interview rooms for detectives, a "modest" fitness center for officers and modern heating and ventilation systems. "It sounds simple, but these are creature comforts," said Gudmundsen. "By giving police officers a better environment to work in, it will ultimately make them better serve the community."
DelaRaba said that morale has been an issue at the 1st because of its condition, and that a new building has to provide what is lacking. "They need to have chairs that aren't broken, computers that work and a reliable booking station," he said. "I think it's very important for morale among officers."
But Gudmundsen said that the department does everything it can to maintain the condition of the current building, and that morale is not low at the 1st. He acknowledged, however, that the new precinct could only give cops an added boost. "The morale is excellent, but it goes without saying that when you improve the conditions for the cops and community, it can only make a good thing better," he said.
Police working out of trailers?
There has also been some concern among some at the 1st Precinct as well as others in the department that police officers would have to work out of temporary trailers during the construction of the new building, a concern that Scannell has tried to quell in recent months.
Scannell said he discussed the issue with Tim Driscoll, the county's deputy county executive for public safety, and they concluded that such a measure would not be necessary. "[The county] had assured me that since they're going to build a new precinct next door, they won't have to put law enforcement officials in trailers while they do their job," Scannell said. "They're not going to knock down the 1st Precinct and then build [a new one]. It will remain a functioning precinct next door."
But Gerbasi said that the project could hit logistical problems if it were to be built while the current building still stands, due to its close proximity to the proposed properties where construction would take place. "There's no way you can build something like that without an inconvenience to people," said Gerbasi. "If [police] can be temporarily relocated it could go faster, but that might impact police work and may not be feasible. The easiest way to do it from a construction standpoint may not be the best way to do it from a police standpoint. So we have to figure all that stuff out."
Posted Friday, June 16, 2006
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